Page 24

The glare didn’t change.

I hated that he felt the need to hide himself from me.

But hadn’t I asked for as much, with my response to the mating bond?

I hated how confused I was. Hated the fact that I couldn’t even make a simple decision, or look at Arran’s face, without having a thousand questions storm across my mind.

“Nothing will change between tonight and tomorrow,” he finally said.

And so it began.

I was no longer merely the Queen of the Elemental Fae, and he the Brutal Prince offered as the Terrestrial Heir. We were the High Queen and King of Annwyn. Here and now, we were equals.

Gwen had gifted me her father’s Round Table, but Arran and I together had sat the knights at it.

“If we meet tonight, we can start putting our plans into effect tomorrow,” I said. Despite my wariness of the ever-present pull in my chest, I dragged my fingers casually along my collarbone, then down the neckline of my gown.

Arran’s eyes followed the path of my fingertips, just as I’d known they would.

I thought I saw a flicker of black flame in those fathomless eyes. Could have sworn I heard a faint growl on the breeze from the open window.

One black eyebrow rose. “Valiant attempt,” Arran said. “But if you want me to fuck you, we don’t need an audience.”

I stumbled back a step.

Oh, so that’s how we’re going to play.

I heard the low growl clearly, as if it was coming from inside my own body. It sort of was, I realized. Through the bond.

That was why I’d been able to hear his beast all these months, why I’d been able to communicate without words. The bond between us, this animalistic, preordained connection that I’d thought had something to do with the burning desire between us… another thing that belonged to the bond, rather than to me.

My heart contracted a little. Even as my pussy began to tingle with anticipation.

Arran stepped closer, his eyes dark with the fire that burned only for me. His hand caught mine just above the neckline of my gown, lifting my fingers towards his mouth where his elongated canines gleamed—

“If you summoned us just to watch, I’m going to have to decline.”

Arran’s beast roared loud enough I was sure that everyone in the goldstone palace must have heard it.

But Parys stood in the doorway unbothered, flanked by my Goldstones on either side, a glass of glittering gold aural in his hand.

“You should be so lucky,” I said, stepping back from Arran and sticking out my tongue at my friend.

Parys opened his mouth, and I almost heard the retort on his lips. But one look at Arran, feral and seething with barely contained desire, and he swallowed it.

Gwen stepped into the room, closing the doors behind her.

“Be careful, Parys. If the legends are true, mates are very territorial,” she said, otherwise ignoring Arran and striding for the table. “Especially when the bond is new.”

“She’s right,” Cyara said from behind us, where I assumed she’d been waiting for my return. “I asked my father about it. He has a list of texts you might want to consider,” she said in Parys’ direction.

He nodded his assent, taking his seat. Cyara did as well.

“Is the mating bond common knowledge, then?” I ground out. I’d known for a matter of hours. Now it seemed the entire court did as well.

A series of exchanged, silent looks.

But it was Arran who said, “Can’t we have a bit of privacy—”